We're pleased that once again the Waterloo Stage will be held on the riverside Cathedral Green, July 22-23. Additional shows will be held at The CAP on Queen Street.
Sweltering Songs co-organizer, Zach Atkinson, says, “We’re excited to return to the area after bringing our Waterloo Street Tent to life for the first time in 2022. It’s a cozy and beautiful setting to host a wonderful line-up featuring old friends and musical peers, new favorites, and emerging artists alike for Fredericton listeners.”
Learn more about the festival, artists and tickets.
Christ Church Cathedral will be the host venue for Fredericton's 175th anniversary concert, A Celebration of Us, to be held on Tuesday, 08 August, 2023, 7:30 p.m. This article was shared in a recent newsletter from the New Brunswick Summer Music Festival.
Bérubé began his composing career later than most, and he has more than made up for it with his wealth of credits which include film and video game scores. When asked about his entrance into composing and arranging, Bérubé states that “[he] began by writing piano arrangements for The Doors and Led Zeppelin, after finding [himself] unsatisfied with existing versions of [his] favorite songs.” Finding a love for the creative aspect of composition, he dove straight into the deep end by writing a piano sonata that won first place at the provincial music festival. Soon after, he switched from Biochemistry to Music at the University of Alberta.
This summer, Bérubé is writing a new piece for the Atlantic Sinfonia Orchestra, bringing local influences and an element of celebration to the work. He states that “it is a privilege to write a concert piece, and for instrumentalists to learn [his] work. It takes so many hours to create and rehearse something like this.” In early August, 13 musicians be at Christ Church Cathedral as the venue to perform a collection of Fredericton’s historical pieces, fan favorites, and Bérubé’s new creation. This event will be one of seven projects that received support from the City of Fredericton to mark the anniversary.
“I am looking forward to working with musicians, sitting in on the rehearsal progress, and hearing the final performance” (Bérubé).
Bérubé [has spent] two months creating and working with Atlantic Sinfonia and the New Brunswick Summer Music Festival. “[His] job in this case is to write a piece, an entertaining piece, a musically interesting piece, that is a celebration of us.”
Fredericton, A Celebration of Us takes place on Tuesday, August 8th, 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. For more information, visit www.nbsummermusicfestival.ca.
Repertoire
Now-Baroque Suite – Richard Gibson
Aperture Akimbo – Christian Bérubé
Subway Thoughts – Eldon Rathburn
Song without Words – Robin Bayley
Improvisations on Two Latvian Folk Songs – Janis Kalnins
Free will offering. Seating is on a 'first come first served' basis.
Archbishop Claude Miller died on Tuesday, 27 June 2023 after a brief period of illness.
The funeral was on Monday, 03 July at 11:00 a.m. in Christ Church Cathedral with a reception following.
Visitation was held the previous day, Sunday, 02 July 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Cathedral followed by a vigil until 8:45 a.m. Monday with both clergy and lay participating.
The Belize Mission Committee is thrilled with the outcome of a yard sale raising funds for high school scholarships in Belize. Between item sales and envelope donations, approximately $3000 has been raised so far - enough for three scholarships!
Currently, we provide scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support, since high school is not publicly funded in Belize. This additional education provides them with important skills and opportunities. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year. The Cathedral also provides $2000 per year to St. Hilda’s Anglican School in Georgeville, Belize, which is used for supplies for the elementary school.
Held on Saturday, June 24, the yard sale attracted hundreds of community members searching for treasures and deals. Items in the yard sale were provided by members of the congregation and community who decluttered and donated their items to be sold at the pay-as-you-wish sale.
A dozen volunteers helped throughout the week to set-up, unpack and sort items, assemble photo collages, greet customers, collect donations, repack items, and distribute leftover items to organizations such as the Multicultural Association, the puzzle lending library at Wilmot United Church, Farraline Place, and charitable stores. Many leftover novels and children's books were also brought to Little Free Libraries and book houses around the city, for our neighbours to enjoy.
A number of people attending the sale asked about the scholarship fund and our relationship with students in Belize.
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school, which families must pay. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a recently established preschool.
Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have gone on to post-secondary education, and all have gained knowledge and experience that will help them in their future.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
You can still contribute to the mission in Belize through offering envelopes or donate online.
If you are interested in participating in future endeavors benefiting the students in Belize, please contact the Cathedral Office to connect with members of the Belize mission committee.
"Christ Church Cathedral was the venue for a service of Installation and Collation June 11 as Leo Martin and Paul Ranson were collated as territorial archdeacons of Saint John and Fredericton respectively; and Kevin Borthwick and Chris Hayes were installed as canons of the Cathedral. Dean Geoffrey Hall and Archbishop David Edwards presided. The Rev. Jasmine Chandra preached."
The annual Summer Music Series at Christ Church Cathedral is back! All are welcome to attend these concerts, designed to fit perfectly within the lunch hour.
Fridays from 12:10-12:50 p.m., 30 June - 25 August at 150 Church Street, Fredericton.
Join us inside historic Christ Church Cathedral as we present a series of concerts featuring soloists and instruments such as piano, violin, guitar, organ, fiddle and viola. View the poster.
Free admission, donations encouraged. Proceeds will support the Organ Renovation Fund. Online donations will receive a receipt for tax purposes emailed immediately. Thank you for helping us to preserve the organ!
June 30
Julien LeBlanc, piano
Matthieu Deveau, violin
Julie Ekker, voice
July 7
Stephen Peacock, guitar
Natalia Delacroix, viola
July 14
Katherine Moller, fiddle
Tom Richards, guitar
July 21
Kathrin Welte, voice
J. Thomas D. Gonder, organ
July 28
Christian Vanicek, piano and organ
August 4
Barachois Summer Music Academy
August 11
New Brunswick Summer Music Festival:
Natalia Delacroix, viola
Nicholas Roy, piano
August 18
Jillian Bonner, voice
J. Thomas D. Gonder, organ
The month of June has long been known for its brides, but why, we wondered, were “June brides” so popular?
Well, it turns out that the tradition of “June Brides” dates back to Roman times when Juno and her husband Jupiter were celebrated on the first day of June. Juno was the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
Continuing on to Victorian times the availability of fresh flowers made June a good month to wed. And since baths tended to be taken in the warmer months of May and June in medieval times, those sweet smelling bouquets came in handy!
The Celtics also had a hand in promoting June! Young couples would be paired on Cross-Quarter Day or May 1st. They would then be expected to date until the next Cross-Quarter Day on August 1st. But alas, impatience led to more and more June weddings!
Finally, a June wedding in farming communities was a good thing. If the bride fell pregnant, she would still be in good shape to work the fall harvest!
All of this information got us to thinking about all the weddings that have been celebrated in Christ Church Cathedral! We are looking back and sharing some of those weddings and special memories from the bride and groom! Read all of the wedding reflections, and stay tuned for more!
* * * * *
Were you married in the Cathedral? Or do you have a story of relatives who were? We would love to hear your story and see a photo! If you are willing to chat with a member of the Communications Committee and be included in an upcoming series of articles, please contact the Cathedral Office. Phone (506) 450-8500 or email <office at christchurchcathedral.com>.
Katie & Greg
December 29, 2010
Katie (Catherine) and Greg Young Morris were married by The Very Reverend Keith Joyce almost 13 years ago. They shared these memories:
"Our wedding day fell right between heavy snow storms, and we were fortunate not to have to cancel. The actual day, however, was beautiful and sunny. Katie sported her winter boots in many of the outdoor wedding photos.
We enjoyed music by organist Dr. Willis Noble, and Katie's brother and sister-in-law Neil Young and Talia Profit performed a breathtaking version of Mount Eerie's 'Oh My Heart'. In the provided photo, the happy couple is exiting to the "Prince of Denmark's March" by J.A. Clarke.
Our wedding bulletin featured the following bible quotation:
I went to my garden, dear friend, best lover!
breathed the sweet fragrance.
I ate the fruit and honey,
I drank the nectar and wine.
Celebrate with me, friends!
Raise your glasses—"To life! To love!
-- Song of Solomon 5:1 (The Message translation)
Katie and Greg's three young children can often be seen playing instruments and dancing on Sunday mornings during Come Worship services!
Did you know that you can request immediate, confidential prayer for any matter?
The Cathedral Prayer Network is a committee of caring individuals who pray for others. It is different from the public prayer list printed in the Sunday bulletin. Confidentiality of prayer requests is at the core of the group's work.
The Prayer Network is in need of new volunteers. Contact Coordinator Linda Waugh for details or with a prayer request. Phone (506) 450-3057 or email <lmwaugh at live.com>.
The article below, written by Ann Deveau in 2021 when leadership of the Prayer Network moved from Carolyn Howlett to Linda Waugh, describes the function and the heart of the Prayer Network.
Do you feel called to serve in this ministry?
Award-winning author Philip Yancey writes that prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet and relate.
“We're supposed to be a praying people,” agrees Carolyn Howlett in recalling why she got involved in the prayer network at the cathedral. “We're on a daily walk with the Lord, and it's important to listen, to care and to bring the needs of other people to Him.”
In 1996 a co-ordinator was needed to take over from Reid and Ethel Saunders who had capably led the prayer network for some time. Carolyn offered to step in, never thinking she would be at the helm for a quarter of a century.
“There was a small, willing group of volunteers in the cathedral community to pray for congregational needs and other issues, and it grew over time,” she says.
Sometimes people ask God for all manner of things: to sell their house, to find a job, to survive a divorce, to make it rain.
“We weren't dealing with those types of problems; we focused on requests for healing,” Carolyn says. She stresses that confidentiality was always of the highest importance, and it remains so.
She would inform the other members by telephone -- in more recent years by e-mail -- that a person was struggling with cancer treatments or a serious accident, that a major surgery was under way, that someone was hospitalized and near death.
Isabelle Hockin, one of several longtime members, puts it this way: “I think it’s a huge comfort to people with an urgent concern to know that they can turn to the prayer chain and trust that there will be a group of believers praying for them and/or their loved ones in their hour of need.”
She sees Matthew 7:7 as the guiding principle: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.
Feedback was usually positive, regardless of the outcome of the particular situation. Typical comments include “the prayer chain made all the difference” or “it uplifted us at a difficult time” or “it helped me with my grief.”
After 25 years, the time has come for Carolyn to pass the torch to another member of the congregation who also believes that being a Christian means leading a life of prayer.
Linda Waugh has been a member of a Charis group for more than 20 years and has always been willing to pray for others.
“I have been thankful for their prayers when I needed them,” Linda explains. “Prayer is powerful, and it is very comforting to know there are others praying for you. In turn, I was glad to be able to pray for other members when they needed prayer.”
Linda thinks it's possible that some people in the cathedral family don't realize that they can ask for confidential prayers for themselves, their friends and family members who need God's love and healing.
“I hope people will feel free to get in touch with me, so that the good work done in the past can be continued for a long time to come,” she says. “My e-mail address is <lmwaugh at live.com> which will likely be published often in the church bulletin for people's convenience.”
Linda is also thankful that Carolyn has agreed to continue as a member of the prayer network.
“It's such a part of me,” Carolyn says, absolutely confident that prayer is effective in bringing God's compassion and comfort to people in their times of trouble.
Donate your good condition, previously loved items and we'll sell them at our upcoming indoor yard sale. All proceeds will go towards high school tuition for Belize scholarship students.
We're looking for household items, decor, toys, games, books, etc. No clothing or furniture please. We'll also accept reusable shopping bags.
Deliver items to Cathedral Memorial Hall between June 19-23, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Due to storage limitations, we cannot accept items before June 19.
Thank you for your generosity!
If you don't have items to donate but would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, please make a donation using your offering envelope or donate online.
Mark your calendar and shop the pay-as-you-wish yard sale on Saturday, June 24, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon!
Why do we have a high school scholarship program for students in Belize?
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school, which is not publicly funded. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary school in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a preschool recently established at the school.
Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have gone on to post-secondary education. Currently, we provide scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support. This additional education provides them with important skills and opportunities. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
Sandy Robb - a former guest who turned into one of our most willing outreach volunteers!
Sandy Robb was a survivor.
Most people would have crumpled helplessly under the weight of the obstacles she faced. She was an unwed teenage mother, an alcoholic, a precariously employed cook, homeless more than once, beset by chronic illnesses, in and out of the hospital.
Yet, by the time she died in her sleep recently, she had fought to become a well-housed and sober senior citizen, offering no-nonsense advice as a peer support worker at a downtown medical clinic that helps addicts to recover. She had become well-known to politicians and the media as an effective advocate for the poor and the homeless in our city.
She was also a longtime, valued volunteer with the Monday Morning Outreach program at Christ Church Cathedral where she baked delicious cookies and knew most of the people in need who attended.
Sandy, at the City of Fredericton Unsung Hero awards ceremony in 2018. Pictured: Cathedral Outreach Committee Chair Penny Ericson, Fredericton South MLA David Coon, and Sandy Robb.
Outreach Committee chair Penny Ericson was a dear friend. “I've lost my buddy,” Penny said sadly. “We learned so much from Sandy. She had a big heart, and she was always ready to speak up for what was needed by the less fortunate in our city.”
It's one of the reasons Sandy won an Unsung Hero award from the City of Fredericton in 2018, being acknowledged for helping to shape this community for the better.
“Sandy was a force to be reckoned with - such a kind and generous person in her own way,” recalled retired Parish Nurse Kathleen Snow who worked closely with her at the outreach drop-ins. “A true Christian in many ways.”
Rev. Kelly Burke from New Maryland United Church, who has helped Cathedral volunteers with outreach activities for 15 years, agreed.
Sandy, helping to pack goodie bags for a COVID-safe Monday Outreach in 2020.
“So much life and goodness flowed from that woman,” she said. “She was a wise and challenging teacher for us all. Well done, good and faithful servant.”
“Sandy was the best kind of woman, and it was a pleasure to get to know her at outreach,” added volunteer Susan Colpitts, echoing comments from other volunteers. “She will be missed by all of us who were fortunate enough to share space with her.”
Heather S., a visitor to Monday Morning Outreach for many years, called Sandy “a wonderful woman” who helped her to get free furniture when she finally found housing. “She was always reaching out to somebody, so it's heart-breaking to think that she's gone.”
For the May 29th voucher day, Sandy sent a loaf of sandwiches and a newcomer who needed a pair of shoes. By the time the woman happily laced up a gently used pair of sneakers, eager to thank Sandy, our spunky and extraordinary friend had slipped out of this world.
Condolences are offered to Sandy's family, friends and to all who will miss her. Her legacy of kindness, common sense and advocacy will live on.
- by Ann Deveau
Click here to read Sandy's obituary. There will be a celebration of Sandy's life in Doaktown, Saint John and Fredericton at a later date.
Two articles about Sandy have appeared on the Cathedral website in the past:
In 2017, Sandy participated in the short documentary film ‘The Rest Will Follow’, a collaboration of DocTalks, the Community Action Group on Homelessness and Housing First.
